


Ready, Aim, Fire

by MissMangled



Category: Alien (1979), Alien: Isolation (Video Game), Aliens (1986), Prometheus (2012)
Genre: AU, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, I'm Sorry, Multi, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Robot/Human Relationships, Romance, Songfic, Work In Progress, fluff in hopeless situations, oneshots, so many aliens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-02 22:30:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5266175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMangled/pseuds/MissMangled
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Multiple oneshots for the Alien franchise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Set Up: Axel x Reader

**Author's Note:**

> AU/Pre-game oneshot, because why not?

You were definitely not one for drinking. So, it was beyond you how you ended up in a bar of all places. But somehow, your best friend Jana had managed to rope you into coming to a night out with her. You don't actually remember agreeing to this, but it was a bit late now, and the cocktail you had in front of you was quite nice. It was sweet and fruity, but strangely a bright neon blue. You stared dully at it as your brunette friend chattered on about some guy named 'Mike', who you figured she had a crush on. Well, with the way she talked about him, it was kind of obvious. When you teased her about it, she blushed furiously, then demanded to know who you liked. To be honest, you told her, you hadn't seen anyone. All the guys were bland, or sexist, or you just generally weren't attracted to them.  
“Well~” She grinned, leaning back in her chair and sending you a wink, “We'll see about that~ Mike's bringing his friend, and we're sure you'll like him~”  
You couldn't help but roll your eyes. Really? They were hooking you up with someone? He'd probably end up being a chauvinist like the rest of them. But you'd give this mysterious stranger a chance, like you always did. After all, you didn't want to disappoint your very best friend.  
Before you could come up with a witty response, the woman shot to her feet, waving her arms frantically, “Mike! Axel! Over here!”  
Axel? You'd only vaguely heard Jana and Mike talk about him, but you'd never been introduced. That's probably because you worked completely different jobs. As far as you were aware, he was a mechanic, while you were an attendant at the Spaceport terminals. The two men approached the table; one, easily identifiable as Mike Tanaka, and the other a total stranger. This must have been Axel. Sitting down opposite you, the pair greeted you and Jana.  
“[Name],” Mike began, gesturing to his friend, “This is Axel. Axel, [Name].”  
Offering you his hand, the bald man sent a cheeky grin your way,  
“Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”  
You accepted the shake with your own smile, though it was forced.  
“A pleasure.” Your voice was cold and stiff, and you tried to ignore how warm his hand was. When he feigned hurt at your lack of expression, you fought to hide your smile. You had to admit, this guy was pretty funny.  
And cute too...  
From the corner of your eye, you could see Jana smirking widely, but when you turned to her, she merely looked away, whistling innocently. Mike snorted with laughter behind his pint.  
“Oh, look at that.” The woman's slow tone gave off her obvious lie, “It is time to go home, right Mike? We should leave.”  
You glared lightly at her, and then at the other, who was rushing to down the amber alcohol before he left. He ended up spilling half of it down his front, before getting to his feet and linking arms with Jana.  
“Well, ta ta~” She chimed, waving you goodbye and skipping out of the bar.  
An awkward silence fell over the table. You really didn't know what to say.  
“So, uh...” The man asked, Scottish accent thick in his voice, “D'you want to get out of here, sweetheart?”  
You agreed quickly; well, you'd finished your drink, so what other reason was there to stay? Axel rose to his feet, holding out his hand for you to take. This time, you didn't hesitate, and he pulled you up. Much to his surprise (and delight), you intertwined your fingers with his as you left the bar. Since you were still unsure of were to go, you both decided to just sit by one of the huge windows and talk. It was nice, you had to admit. And before you realised it, it was time for you to head back to your quarters.  
“I'll walk you there.” He once again helped you to your feet, enjoying the feeling of your soft hand in his. You still didn't let go.  
All too soon, your door came into view, on one of the high floors of the Solomons Habitation Tower. You were more than flattered that he offered to walk with you all that way, despite his own room being on one of the lowest floors. It was very sweet of him.  
“Tonight's been great.” You told him honestly, a sweet smile curving your lips upwards.  
Axel agreed quietly, a little disappointed that the night was over so early, but he could understand why. Hand slipping from his large one, you fumbled around in your bag for your keycard, before sliding it into the panel. Your door slid open, revealing your spacious living quarters.  
“Good night, Axel..” You murmured, leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, before entering your room and leaving his sight. Fingers barely grazing the place you had touched, he felt the skin underneath heat up brightly. He allowed the wide grin to grow on his face. Fist pumping the air, he let out a quiet cheer, before taking off down the hallway to find and tell him how it had went.  
What neither of you realised, however, was that him and Jana had been watching you this whole time.

~~

“I told you they were perfect for each other~” The woman smirked widely, holding out her open palm. Reluctantly, Mike placed the wad of notes in it, but not after making sure their friends weren't around to hear.  
“Still, I was the one that suggested we set them up.” He mimicked her expression smugly, and the pair began their journey to their own quarters, “So, technically, if I had never said anything, they'd still be sad, lonely, single people~”  
Smacking him on the back of the head, Jana rolled her dark eyes playfully.  
“We did a good thing, dude. You just shouldn't have bet against them~”  
As they went down the long hallways, they continued to bicker jokingly.  
Now all Jana had to do was convince you to help set her and Mike up.


	2. Like the Stars: Bishop x Reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tacticians and androids cross like stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone requested Bishop, so here he is! I hope you like it! Sorry if he's out of character, this is my first time writing him. Also sorry for sudden romance/fluff at the end.. it was kind of rushed.. :)

The colonial marines were going to be hard to deal with, and you knew that when you were first signed over to the Sulaco, but your commander still insisted it would be good for you – his best tactician – to be sent on a few missions with them. To test if your abilities were any good for them.   
You'd be a valuable asset to them, he'd justified when you tried to argue, knowing full well that you'd do it anyway, especially since you valued your job so highly.   
That's why you found yourself, several weeks later, boarding the Sulaco with few complaints. Well, none that you vocalised anyway. The marines hardly seemed to notice you at first (though you did receive a few strange looks from them). You were just so quiet, keeping to yourself as you prepared for hypersleep.  
But before you could all settle down for the long haul, Apone decided to make an announcement of your arrival. And then all eyes were on you. Flushing slightly, you twitched in embarrassment and annoyance at the whistles and hoots you received. Great. You'd hardly been here for any time at all, and they were already acting like pigs.   
With disregard for them all, you turned on your heel, and entered your cryochamber.   
These next few months were going to be long and unbearable, you could tell. 

The next time you awoke, it was somewhere across the distant galaxy. Around you, the marines were also waking up, their chambers popping open and filling the room with tired groans. Apone was already up, cigar hanging lazily from his mouth as he strutted up and down the room,   
“Rise and shine, sweethearts.”  
You felt sick, but knew it was just an after effect of such a long stasis, and that you'd be fine within a few days. Eyes heavy, you rose into a sitting position, plucking out the wires that connected your body to the chamber. It stung a little, but you were able to ignore it. By the time you had managed to sluggishly drag yourself to your locker, the other marines were half-dressed, eyeing you as you moved to fetch your clothes. You stepped carefully over a leg that was shot out to trip you. From your peripheral vision, you could see the woman scowl.   
Pulling your locker open, you quickly dressed, before heading for the mess hall. The rest of them were already there, sitting together and laughing at something. You tried to ignore them, remaining quiet and unnoticed as you took the 'breakfast' provided, before settling at one of the emptier tables.   
Only one sat there. You recognised him as Gorman, the lieutenant of the squadron. He sent you a small, friendly smile, which you returned. Honestly, you felt like death. But a little bit of kindness goes a long way, so you'd heard; plus, this guy was the only one so far who'd been civil to you, aside from Apone. Speaking of which, the sergeant called a greeting to you from across the tables. This successfully brought all the attention back onto you.  
You were starting to get sick of this.   
As you brought your eyes up to his – ignoring the others, who were all staring – you passed a small 'hello' his way. Though you hoped you wouldn't, you made contact with one of the marines; his eyes were dark and his face handsome, and though he didn't appear unfriendly, he still made you nervous. They all did.   
You quickly dropped your gaze to the plate in front of you, trying to ignore the sniggering and obnoxiously loud comments about you.  
Your appetite was quickly lost. For a while, you simply glared at the food before you.  
You were startled from your stupor when someone sat down next to you, and silence filled the mess hall. Gorman was the last to leave. Tilting your head, causing your [colour] hair to fall over your forehead, you once again locked gazes with the same eyes as before.  
Smiling politely, he held out his hand to you, giving his name with it;   
“Bishop.”  
Butterflies made your stomach twist.

Three months later and you were still alive, and still on board the Sulaco.  
A few of the marines had warmed up to you, including Frost, Ferro, and Hicks. Dietrich and Vasquez were slowly getting there, but still thought of you as a liability; well, your tactical skills hadn't much been needed yet. You'd only planned one of their attacks out, but you'd been assisted by Gorman and Bishop. The others were just plain cold, or creepy as hell.   
You tried to ignore them as best you could, helping out if and when you were able. Whether it be unloading machinery or organising supplies, you made yourself as useful as you could until you were necessary.   
Currently, you were busy doing the former, assisting Apone and Hicks with the weaponry. Much to their surprise, you were actually able to lift many of the guns, despite them being much larger than the small handgun you were issued. Back and forth from the loading bay, you carried what you could, before sorting and logging numbers. You were good at that sort of thing, they all quickly noticed.   
You were also very efficient with your strength, taking only what you knew you could and never any more. But even so, you were done with helping them in no time, with everything catalogued and the ammunition counted and stored. A true tactician, Apone commented when you were out the room, organised and steady. Valuable, too. Even if your full skills weren't being employed at the moment. They would be soon, he was confident.  
Before you could step into the locker room, where much of the personal equipment, bunks and stasis pods stored, you heard the ring of voices.  
It was Vasquez and Drake. At least, they were the most vocal; but moments later you heard the rambunctious laugh of Hudson, and a quiet murmur from Bishop.  
You decided you'd better interrupt before they discovered you were there. Allowing the door to slide up, you strode in, pretending you hadn't just been standing outside.  
They quietened upon your arrival.   
You acted as if you didn't notice, heading straight for your locker without acknowledging any of them.   
It didn't last long.  
“Hey, hey [Name]!” Hudson called your attention from his place with the others, a smirk obvious in his voice even though your back was to him.  
You groaned internally. What could he possibly want now..?  
With a heavy sigh, you turned to face the trio; Bishop was a way off, sitting on his bunk with a book between his hands. He was watching your interactions curiously.  
“Yes, Hudson.” You spoke, an tense edge to your words, “What is it?”  
The brunet grinned widely at your response, and though he probably would have acted hurt at your coldness in any other circumstance, this was going to be too much fun,  
“Drake here thinks you can take me on in an arm wrestle~ What d'ya say we try it out~?”  
As much as you would have loved to refuse, you knew it would be in vain. So you reluctantly agreed.  
And before you knew it, him and the albino were practically dragging you to the mess hall. You were surprised to see the rest of the marines there.   
You subconsciously wondered if this was a set up. 

Staring across at the male, you analysed his facial expression, in the hopes of figuring him out. He was overconfident and smug, like he'd already won. Around you, the other marines had placed their bets, and were now sat in anticipation; this was probably going to be the most exciting thing they'd seen since you got here. Hudson rested his elbow on the table, ready to get going. After cracking your knuckles, you mirrored him, griping his hand tightly in your own. He sent an arrogant grin to his comrades. Then, with a loud 'Go!' from Apone, the match began.   
Palms firmly together, you and Hudson both pushed hard; you could tell he wasn't trying very much, he didn't think you could win. For a few minutes, your arms never moved one way or the other, remaining in a tense deadlock. Feigning weakness, you allowed your arm to be the first to bend, knuckles heading to knock the table.   
You could see the victory in his eyes.  
His friends – particularly Vasquez and Drake – cheered him on.   
Time for you to take it all away.  
Faster than he could react, you had pressed with all your might, sending his arm back. Though it didn't hit the table quite yet, he was dangerously close. With one last heave, the back of his hand smacked the table with a loud thud.  
You had won.  
Hudson's grin faltered, and a bright red blush spread across his cheeks in embarrassment. It was clear he hadn't meant to lose.   
Someone clapped your shoulder roughly, and Ferro and Frost both offered you congratulations.   
Bishop looked rather impressed too, offering you a faint smile. You hadn't even realised he was there; you had honestly figured he would have stayed away. It really didn't seem like his thing.  
You were taken from your little victory by Drake, who had plopped down in the seat in front of you, replacing Hudson as your opponent. Brushing a strand of your unruly [colour] hair from your eyes, you steeled yourself again.   
He was a lot harder to beat, you discovered rather quickly. Well, he wasn't actually holding back, which meant you couldn't pull the same trick twice. The albino sneered at you from across your interlocked hands. You mimicked his expression, baring your teeth and your determination.   
The loud voices of the marines echoed in your ears as they cheered and chanted for their desired winner. Your name came through strongly, and surprising everyone, even yourself, you forced him down against the table.  
For a second time, you had beaten a fully trained marine.  
And you were getting high off of it.

After finally managing to get away from the hyped-up soldiers, you found solace alone in one of the training rooms. The quiet was a relief – though you were glad to finally be making proper friends aboard the Sulaco, you just found it becoming too much – and you welcomed it with open arms.  
You were glad, to he honest. You'd finally gained much of their respect, and you actually felt like part of their squad. It was nice. You liked the feeling of being welcomed.  
“[Name].”   
You were startled from your thoughts by none other than Bishop. You removed your gaze from the window, smiling warmly at him as he crossed the room to join you.  
Over the short months, you'd discovered that he was actually a synthetic, but it didn't really bother you much. You'd worked with models like him before, though they were nowhere near as advanced or human-like as he was.   
“Hey..” You greeted softly, returning to admire the view you had; nothing but endless space, littered with stars and beauty.   
You didn't catch the android giving you the same look.   
Although after a few minutes you felt his eyes on you. When you moved your head to face him, he surprised you by resting a warm hand against your cheek.   
“What are you...?” You began to question, but faded off as he bent down to kiss you.   
It was short and sweet, and before you knew it, you were breaking apart at the sound of your name being called.  
As you left to quell suspicions, the synthetic took hold of your wrist.  
You turned for an explanation.  
“You're like the stars..” He murmured, before kissing you again and letting you go.   
He watched you go with a warmth in his chest.  
Android or not, he'd learned to care for you.


	3. Nothing Left: Gorman x Reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was impossible for you to harm or by omission of action, allow to be harmed, a human being.  
> That meant you'd do whatever you could to save them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, slight AU (like, everyone lives - they are my favourite type of AU).   
> Also, reader is Synthetic, and this is only the first part. It was getting too long, so I had to split it up.  
> I hope you guys don't mind so many happy AU's...  
> Thank you for all the support so far~ :)

For once, you were relieved for your synthetic nature. It meant you couldn't feel the same fear that your human comrades felt, nor pain when you were injured, or panic when the creatures made their appearance. There was simply nothing there. It made you valuable to the one human that remained, the only one who hadn't been taken by those monsters. You collected supplies for her, so she could live within the ventilation system, hidden from the claws of the aliens. She was only a little girl. When you asked her, she told you her name was Newt, and that her family had been slaughtered. You were sure it was pity that weighed in your chest at that revelation. But you were going to protect her. You'd promised her that much.  
On one of your regular scouting trips, around the colony for food for Newt, you were surprised to hear the sounds of voices. Since you didn't have any reason to hide from the aliens, you were right out in the open when they appeared. They'd just turned the corner of the hallway up ahead of you, noticing you almost immediately. A half dozen marines, guns ready and eyes like steel. They froze at the sight of you. You didn't move in case they shot.  
"Hello.." You called softly, raising your arms above your head. One seemed to speak into his earpiece, before they rushed to you. You realised that you must have looked a mess.  
"We've got a survivor here, Hicks. Female, early twenties, probably malnourished..." He paused for a few seconds, apparently listening to whoever was on the other end, "She was just wandering around out here."  
You would have snorted at the assumptions, but felt it would have been inappropriate. They wouldn't know you weren't human. They had absolutely no idea.  
You were brought from your thoughts by one of the other soldiers, a male with sheared dark hair and a sturdy build. You might have found him attractive, had you been able to.  
He introduced himself as Lieutenant Gorman of the USCMC, part of the 2nd Battalion Bravo Team of the USS Sulaco. He had come with his team to investigate the disruption of communications with the colony. You received all of this information on the walk back to their 'base', which they had apparently set up in one of the medical labs. There were just over a dozen marines present, though one didn't look as if she fit into that category.  
Newt was being checked over by one of them. Of course, humans and their fragile bodies needed constant care. As a synthetic, you needed checked up on much less often, and much less in general.  
"Dietrich, check her over." One of the others commanded, cigar hanging from his mouth. The woman finished dealing with the child, before moving towards you.  
"Oh, that won't be necessary." You sent the doctor a small smile, "There is no damage present."  
Looking a little confused, she shrugged, before heading off to do something else.  
You heard her grumble under her breath, "Says the doctor herself..."  
With a shrug of your own, you let her comment slip; it didn't really bother you much, since she didn't know. In three quick strides, you were beside Newt. You patted her back softly when she threw herself into your arms. You were amazed that she'd been found by them, and even more so that they'd managed to catch her. You had to give them credit for that. From your peripheral vision, you could see a handful of the marines giving you odd looks, as if they were quite unsure of you. It was understandable, you knew. Humans tended to stare when they were confused.  
"You should get some sleep." The woman from before – the one who seemed so out of place – murmured, coming to stand by you both. Her hair was a dark mass of curls, not cut short as it should have been if she were a soldier, and her eyes were kind like that of a mother. You sent her a soft smile, lifting Newt up into your arms effortlessly and following her towards the side room. It was filled with gurneys, and you set the child onto one near the back. From prying eyes, you justified quietly. Newt's eyes were heavy with sleep, and you knew it was a long time since she'd been able to have a proper rest, especially not under armed guard. You dismissed the woman's suggestion for you to sleep, too, and in her dark eyes you saw the revelation unfold. She had figured it out. Her expression changed immediately to one of hostility, and you knew she did not trust you. With a slight bow of your head, you bade them both goodnight, before heading back out to the others. There, you were greeted by a male synthetic, evident by his gaze; and you could tell he knew that you were like him.  
"Bishop." He introduced himself, and you shook his hand politely, as you'd been programmed. Your name was also given, coming softly from your mouth like smoke, afraid of breaking the ever present quiet, "[Name]."  
You could hear each heartbeat that belonged to the marines, and it made you almost envious. Sometimes you wondered what it was like to be alive. But now was not time to let it get to you.  
The humans were planning on heading right into the heart of the problem, the Atmosphere Processing Plant. You knew it wouldn't end well. You'd seen what was in there.  
“If I may, Lieutenant.” You approached their conversation, your words slicing through the soldier's and drawing their attention to you, “But I don't believe it's a very wise idea to locate the others. You won't like what you find.”  
With a statement so ambiguous, you knew to expect an uproar of questions as to why you knew what you did.  
You ignored them, [colour] eyes boring into Gorman's own, making him feel more than slightly uncomfortable, but still a little enamoured, “I would suggest you evacuate your marines, and then destroy the colony. It's the safest way.”  
He found his voice to protest, stunned at your proposition.  
“But the colonists...”  
Your gaze found his again – for you'd averted it to the far wall, and the sample tubes, which held those strange creatures – and you flashed him a look that made him freeze.  
Your words had the same effect;  
“Believe me, Lieutenant, there is nothing alive down there that deserves to be.”  
And then, you had turned on your heel, and left.

Gorman found you again almost an hour later, helping Bishop dissect one of the parasites. You'd dubbed them 'gas masks', but as for scientific name, there was nothing. No record of them anywhere. But of course, you knew that already.   
You also knew that the Weyland-Yutani man accompanying the soldiers was up to something. He always seemed to be a little shifty. But it wasn't your place, and so didn't say anything.   
The lieutenant stood by the doorway for a minute, observing the both of you work. Light on your feet, you flitted between the synthetic and a microscope half way across the room, [colour] eyes bright and alert as you relayed what you saw.  
“Shouldn't you be sleeping?” He inquired, deep voice stiff and professional. You hardly spared him a glance or an answer, never blinking as you shifted one slide from underneath the lens and replaced it with another. Taking a few notes, you told the science officer exactly what it meant.  
Gorman cleared his throat awkwardly after a moment, stepping further into the room with arms behind his back, “The marines are preparing to enter the Processing Plant.”  
You paused momentarily, lifting your gaze from the microscope to him. The scalpel between your delicate fingers clattered to the table with a metallic ring.  
“You idiot.” You hissed, which surprised even Bishop, “Have they headed out yet?”  
He shook his head with a quiet 'No, ma'am.'  
Without another word, you straightened out, before striding right past him and out of the lab. He could hear you calling on them as you broke into a run. It was lucky they were just out the door, arms loaded with heavy weapons as they set out on their search. They looked mildly pissed off that you had stopped them, but that didn't bother you; you knew if you could convince them, they would be safe. You were programmed, after all, to not allow harm to come to humans – especially if you could prevent it.  
And you could.  
Turning to the nearest soldier, an albino who stood almost a foot taller than you, you held out your hand, “May I borrow your headset. It had a camera attached, yes? Good.”  
He seemed a little reluctant, but removed it anyway. The male dumped it into your open palm, a snide smirk pulling at his lips;  
“Go ahead. When you call for backup, we'll be right here.”   
You would have laughed, but restrained yourself as you places the gear over your head.  
“No. If you're ever going to believe me, you need to see this for yourselves. Tell your Lieutenant that he should, too, since he almost sent you to your deaths. Either that, or stay with Bishop.”  
With a few grumbles and complaints, you watched them disappear in the direction you had come. A few minutes later, a voice crackled through, and you began your journey.  
Apparently, Gorman had taken Ripley (the woman you'd met), Burke (the company man), Newt, Wierzbowski, Crowe and Frost with him, while the rest remained in the medical facility. They were convinced you'd need their help.   
You moved swiftly through the long hallways and corridors, taking the stairs down into the sub-levels of the colony in mere seconds.   
You prepared yourself to intrude upon the dragon's den.  
With a false breath, you entered.


	4. Nothing Left // Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'd done all you could to try and save them. Sometimes though, like sand, they slip through your fingers.  
> You never thought he'd ask you something like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so late, I hope you like it!  
> Fun fact, I actually said the last sentence when Hicks and Ripley exchanged names in the movie! :D  
> David 8 is on the way!

The voices on the other end of your earpiece failed to come through. You knew they'd be in shock at what they were seeing through your eyes. Careful footfalls took you deeper into the tunnels, that were lined with the strange organic resin that you knew came from the creatures. Your outstretched fingers made contact with it, coating them in the sticky liquid, holding it up to show the soldiers. A few noises of disgust rang through the headset, but the stuff didn't really bother you.   
You moved further, into the depths, and to where the real horrors lay. Bodies lined the walls on either side of you, skin cold with oncoming death; unless, of course, the parasite had already hatched. Some had, and it was made obvious by the gaping wounds in various chests.   
“Oh my god...” You heard one of the marines murmur in your ear, “She was right, Hicks... it's a mess down there.”  
You listened no longer.  
To your left, a woman stirred. Her skin was almost blue, and you moved for her. Your programming begged it.  
Her plea's were quiet and breathy, but you heard them clear as day, “..Kill.. me...”  
You decided you would comply. Screw programming, this woman was going to die horrifically if you didn't do something; you knew the only thing you could do for her was end her suffering.  
Without even batting an eye, you removed the revolver from its place in your belt and placed it to her forehead.  
“I'm sorry.” You expressed your remorse as you pulled back the hammer.   
A single shot rang out, and she fell limp.   
You could almost feel the dismay of the soldiers.  
“Oh my god, she was live, damn it!” Gorman snapped, but you ignored him, taking a step away from the body as it began to convulse. You'd been just in time.  
Barely any minutes later, the beast emerged, squealing loudly and baring its tiny silver teeth. The lieutenant fell silent, and you had a feeling the others had to. Before it could even move, you had fired five consecutive shots into it, until you were sure it was dead. At such close range, it was impossible to miss – thus ensuring it's rather quick demise.   
“Not any more.” You countered the marine tersely.   
Now you knew you'd awoken the guard with the ringing of shots. You dropped the empty shells onto the floor, refilling the compartments quickly as you headed back.   
“Keep yourselves quiet. As far as they know, I am the–”  
You couldn't finish.   
For protruding right through your abdomen was the sharp tail of a monster.  
With several snaps, it had torn the blade away, leaving a gaping wound through you.  
It knocked you off your feet, and you hit the ground roughly.  
You could hear the alarm of the marines ringing in your ears.

From the APC, Gorman and the men he had taken watched your brutal demise in complete horror. Your end of the line went completely silent, aside from the occasional screech of the creature, and the image began to fade. Soon it was only static.   
“Right.” The lieutenant struggled to form coherent thoughts, to get his men out and to safety, “Apone, get everyone the hell out of there. Hicks, get Ferro over here with the drop ship.”  
He knew the shudder in his voice would certainly get him grief, but he was much too stressed to care about that. The danger they were in was very real.   
To his left, Ripley confirmed to him and Burke that those were the creatures that killed her crew.   
Turning to the woman, Gorman swallowed his fear, “What do you propose we do?”  
Her solution was identical to yours.   
But the company man was having none of it, and he tried ever so hard to get them to rethink that decision.  
A crash from outside drew his argument to a stop.  
Frost and Crowe elected to investigate the noise, taking their huge guns with them. Just in case. They'd seen what that thing had done to you.  
On the surface of Acheron, the flaming remains of the drop ship burned brightly in the darkness.   
Well, shit. Now they had no way back.   
From the wide open colony gates, the rest of the marines filed out, weapons at the ready. When they too caught sight of the drop ship, the mood fell even further.   
“I'm sorry, Newt..” Ripley held the girl close to her, remorseful that she couldn't get the child out of this awful situation.   
Newt only shook her head, “You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault.”  
For such a young girl, she was very mature. Although that probably had something to do with this whole incident.   
Many of the soldiers were now in a panic, though, especially Hudson – but Burke found it petty enough to argue with him.  
The child spoke again, “We'd better get back because it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come out at night. Mostly..”  
Her words chilled them to the bone.  
Reluctantly, with heavy hearts, they trudged back to the maintenance tower.  
They were going to have to wait it out.

Arms laden with what little supplies they had salvaged from the APC, the squadron prepared to seal themselves in – and keep the monsters out. Apparently, 17 days was how long it would take for another team to be sent out to their aid, but they all knew they didn't have that much time.  
They'd be sniffed out within 17 hours. And then they'd suffer the same fate you had.  
Setting up surveillance around the medical facility, they worked quickly to make the place secure. Exits were welded shut, cameras set up, and huge machine guns that were triggered by movement were all precautions that the soldiers took.   
It was quickly decided that there was no way they could wait for rescue; they'd have to find a way off Acheron themselves. Especially since the nuclear reactor was damaged when Ferro crashed, and was set to blow in less than four hours. So, Bishop was sent through a narrow tunnel to try and manually bring down the second drop ship; it was the only hope they had of ever leaving this miserable rock. Alive, that is.   
They'd die otherwise.

Footsteps along the hallway were not something Hudson and Vasquez had anticipated hearing as they set up one of the massive guns to keep the monsters out. Especially as the sound was coming directly towards them. Pulse rifle and pistol at the ready, the pair took aim – just in case it was an alien. Well, there wasn't a lot else it could be. Everyone else was dead, as far as they'd seen.  
That's why they were in such shock when it was you that appeared before them.  
Stride strong and eyes dull, you looked as if you'd just come from a war zone. The gaping hole in your front didn't seem to bother you, and as you drew closer, Vasquez could see why – you were a synthetic.   
A machine. You couldn't feel pain.   
“What the hell, man!?” Hudson whined as you stalked past, shattered headset in hand, “We thought you were toast, man!”  
At that, you paused, and turned to flash him a reassuring smile, “Not at all. You should be more concerned for yourselves.”  
And then you kept moving. They glanced between themselves, before finishing up and tailing you. Before they left, they tossed a can before the gun, to check it worked.  
The burst of gunfire it spat was enough to make your death walk seem even more intimidating.   
From behind, the woman could see where the monster's tail had entered your body, your coat around it torn and frayed, and slightly damp from the leaking fluid.  
It didn't take long to reach where the rest of the marines were. When you strode in, there was a moment of utter confusion at your reappearance.  
After a moment, the shock died down significantly, but you were still issued with a bombardment of questions; how you were alive, how you got out, what those things were. You answered the first by shifting the hem of your jacket, revealing the wound, and the damage you'd sustained. The white liquid had stopped streaming from cut tubes, and broken wires had ceased to spark.  
It was almost funny, how they all responded to your state in such a similar way;  
“An android!?”  
You nodded tensely, replacing your jacket and brushing off your hands.   
Gorman sent you a stiff nod in return, “It's good to know you're still with us, [Name].”  
Though you probably would have thanked him for his kindness, you didn't have the time, for as soon as you opened your mouth to speak, the fire alarm broke out. The loud blaring was the least of your worries as you rushed with several of the others to deal with it. But a fire is not what you found.  
Instead, a panicked Ripley, and a frightened Newt.  
They were sealed within the medical lab.  
Shattered glass was enough indication for you to know that the specimen were free.  
Once again, your attempt at action was interrupted, but this time by a rapid spurt of pulse rifle shots, which succeeded in decimating the window into the lab. Ripley had just been jumped by one of the gas masks, and Newt was attempting to hold another off. She'd trapped its spindly tail against the wall with the edge of a desk, but you knew it wouldn't hold the creature off forever. Hudson immediately rushed to help her, pulling her away and obliterating the monster. He didn't stop firing until he was sure it was not coming back. When he was done, you practically leapt into the room, sweeping the girl into a tight hug; you were glad she was okay.   
But now you were sure she was, you turned to assist the other woman.  
The others had managed to pry the gas mask from Ripley – thankfully, it hadn't latched on properly, and thus was unable to infect her – and prevent it from strangling her.   
It too was shot to pieces. 

The culprit was found rather quickly. Apparently, Burke had released the specimen into the lab, before sealing the pair in. He wanted them infected, so Weyland-Yutani would have live subjects to study. The aliens were to be used as biological weapons.   
But he'd failed in his little plan, and the humans were safe; well, for a while any way. Until the drop ship was brought down. Apparently, Bishop had radioed them and told them it would only take another half hour, so they should be ready. There wasn't much to do but wait it out, since the APC had been emptied on the way over. You found that out through Apone, who saw it fit to tell you all that you had missed. Hudson accompanied him, as well as asking you plenty about your synthetic nature. You appeased his curiosity as you attempted to fix yourself up, at least until you could do it properly.   
Almost twenty minutes later, after everything had been gathered up to be transported, the squadron left the security of the medical labs for the landing bay, where Bishop was bringing the ship. Newt was entirely surrounded by the soldiers, with Ripley by her side – though she too was armed, with a flame-thrower, no doubt. You took the rear, with both Drake and Vasquez, though you fell behind a little occasionally, to make sure you weren't being followed. Since he'd been 'kicked out' of the team, Burke trailed you. Well, he hadn't really been told he was being kicked out, the marines no longer looked out for him as they had. Quite frankly, they didn't care. You didn't really either, but you still kept an eye on him. His pistol had been taken off of him, and was now in your possession, so he had no way of defending himself.  
That's why he could do nothing when he was grabbed from below. The sharp claws of an alien wrapped around his ankles, dragging him below the floor panels. None of the others stopped to assist, hell-bent on keeping forward, to safety. But you paused for him.  
Your damn programme told you to.   
Burke called for you, and you turned to see him, the small twinge of what you deemed pity making you do so. He was already half way under, dark eyes wide with panic and fear, desperate fingers making frantic grabs at the steel bars, but to no avail.  
You said nothing, but raised your pistol – his pistol – and fired once.   
You didn't wait to see what happened next, taking off to catch up with the others, who you were certain would be at the hangar bay by now.  
They were, and they looked relieved to see you alive, though a twinge of confusion sparked at the whereabouts of Burke. You told them he was dead.  
As you boarded the drop ship, you were sure you were relieved at the prospect of being out of danger.  
Though, in your absence some tragedy had struck. Only two had perished, thankfully a small loss, but Hicks and Drake had both suffered burns from the monsters' acidic blood.   
At least now they were all going to be safe.   
Well, that's what you had thought.

The soldiers weren't the only ones to board the ship. You'd been followed by the queen of the hive. After bisecting Bishop, she began to target the living humans there – the soldiers you'd tried your best to protect from her. You suffered nearly the same as your synthetic friend when you tried to take away her attention, distract her from the humans, who all fled to find some kind of weapons. But Newt, the lovely little girl you'd promised to protect, was frozen with terror; she's never seen the queen before.  
But a voice rang out through the deck of the Sulaco, strong and fierce and filled with a fire you could never possess: “Get away from her, you bitch!”  
It was Ripley.  
Donning one of the huge power loaders, she matched the queen in height and strength. From your twisted position on the floor, you could not see their battle, or its outcome, but when you were dragged by the vacuum of space, you could only assume Ripley had opened the air lock. This was proven correct, for it shut moments after, with the woman emerging victorious.  
The other marines reappeared, and you knew that they had remained hidden for a reason, and you understood.  
After a failed attempt at standing, since the cables in your spine that connected your legs to the rest of your body had been severed, you gave up. Poor Bishop had it worse: he had been halved completely, his lower half lying some distance away from the rest of him. You thought it was kind of sweet when Gorman came over to you, lifting you into his arms to bring you up into the interior of the ship. You'd all need to enter stasis soon anyway, for the journey away.  
“Thank you.” You murmured when he set you down in on a gurney in one of the rooms, so Hudson could have a go at a temporary repair for the way home. He was the most technical, you'd heard.  
Glancing around quickly, he dropped his military stance for a few moments, and allowed a nervous expression to grace his face.  
“I wanted to ask..” He began, and you urged him on, “If you would like to.. go with me for coffee or something, when we get back to Gateway..? We won't be sent out again for a while..”  
Instead of the rejection he almost expected, you instead gave him a soft smile, one which would be imprinted in his mind forever; it was positively radiant,  
“That would be nice.”  
The loud voices of the other marines filled the silence after your words, and Gorman's bashful gaze flickered to the door they'd no doubt come through. A moment later, and Hudson did, with a semi-conscious Hicks and Drake in tow, followed by Bishop. All three patients were on stretchers, to be treated crudely before cryosleep. There wasn't much that could be done.   
When Hudson had finished his repairs on you, Gorman took you through to the chambers, setting you gently within one of them. You didn't really need to sleep as such, but a long power down sounded quite nice.  
“Goodnight, Lieutenant.” You spoke quietly, systems already shutting into power down.   
Before you could shut down properly, he told you his first name; “It's Scott.”  
You liked that, and with what little energy you could summon, you too gave yours.  
“[Name].”  
And then, you were out. Your cyrochamber shut, and you were sealed safely within.  
He couldn't wait until they got back to Gateway.

~~

The room was drowned in a comfortable kind of silence, and for a moment, Gorman thought he could relax.  
“Oh man,” Hudson's voice sounded from behind the lieutenant, making him jump with shock, “You guys just exchanged names! You're practically married now, man!”


End file.
